JOURNALIST WINS RIGHT TO PUBLISH PHOTOS OF MIGRANTS WHO DIED WHILE ENTERING U.S.

Scott Stanley, publisher of the Tucson Poet, a literary and political journal, has won the right to print autopsy and death scene photos of migrants who died during attempts to cross the border.  Of the 14 people whose photos will be published, 12 died from exposure and two were shot by Border Patrol agents. 

A lawsuit was brought by Pima County, Arizona officials after Stanley refused to stop asking for the photos after officials declined his first request.  The trial judge ruled that, contrary to the county’s position, the photos are public records, and copies of them must be released to Stanley and anyone else who makes a request.  According to the opinion, “there is a legitimate public interest in knowing the policies and practices of the U.S. Border Patrol and the INS.”

Stanley plans to publish the photos along with interviews of other migrants who nearly died crossing the border, or who crossed with others who did perish.  His reason for publishing the pictures is to draw attention to deaths on the border:  “If you collected photographs of all the people who died trying to get into the U.S. and put them on display, I think most people with any compassionate sensibilities would be horrified.  We’re putting together one small glimpse of that horror.”

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